The present invention relates to methods and systems for transferring game saves between a game system memory card and a computer. More particularly, the present invention relates to methods and systems for transferring game saves from a game system memory card to a personal computer, storing game saves in memory associated with a personal computer, and transferring game saves from a personal computer to a game system memory card.
In electronic game systems, such as the xe2x80x9cNintendo 64xe2x80x9d game system available from Nintendo Company or the xe2x80x9cPlayStationxe2x80x9d game system available from Sony Corporation, some games allow a user to save information relating to a particular state of a game on a game system memory card. This information is commonly referred to as a game save. Game saves allow users to recreate the state of a game program at the point where a previous instance or execution terminated. For example, an electronic football game program, such as xe2x80x9cJohn Madden Footballxe2x80x9d for the Sony xe2x80x9cPlayStationxe2x80x9d may allow a user to play a simulated football season and save statistical information regarding the user""s team at a given point in the season. During one execution of the game program, the user may play the first three football games of a simulated season and save statistical information for the user""s team at that point in the simulated season. If the user""s team wins the first three games, the team win/loss record of three wins and zero losses may be stored on the game system memory card along with additional operating information, so that the game program, stored on a separate cartridge or disk, can restart at the point where the previous execution of the game program terminated. Thus, when the user restarts the game program, the user inserts the game system memory card with the game save into the game system console. The game cartridge or disk must also be inserted in the game system console, since game saves generally do not contain all of the information needed to execute a game program. The game system console reads the game save on the game system memory card and the game cartridge or disk and starts the game program at the point where the user finished in the previous instance. Thus, in sports games, storing game saves on game system memory cards prevents the user from having to restart the entire season each time the user plays the game. Game saves may be used in a similar manner in adventure games and other games to allow restarting at a previous state of a game program.
Although storing game saves on game system memory cards has a number of advantages, the storage capability of a single game system memory card is limited. For example, in one game system memory card configured to store game saves for the xe2x80x9cPlayStationxe2x80x9d game system, the memory card is limited to fifteen blocks of game storage space. A game save requires at least one block of memory. Some game saves require multiple blocks of memory. Thus, a fifteen-block game system memory card may store, at most, fifteen game saves.
Similarly, in game system memory cards configured to store game save s for the xe2x80x9cNintendo 64xe2x80x9d game system, memory space is divided into pages. A memory card has a finite number of pages. Game saves may require one or more pages. Thus, the number of game saves that can be stored on a game system memory card configured to store game saves for the xe2x80x9cNintendo 64xe2x80x9d game system is also limited. Because the user may desire to store multiple game saves for a single game or for multiple games, the user may be required to purchase multiple game system memory cards or game system memory cards with increased storage capacity.
Storing game saves exclusively on game system memory cards may limit a user in sharing game saves with another user to physically transferring the game system memory card including the game saves to another user. For example, a first user who achieves a high level in an adventure game may save the information required to replay the game at the same level as a game save on a game system memory card. In order for the first user to transfer the game save to a second user so the second user can start at the high level, the first user physically transfers the game system memory card to the second user. The second user inserts the game system memory card in his or her game system console in order to start the game at the high level.
While the second user is using the first user""s game system memory card, the first user is prevented from accessing the game save or from storing further game saves on the game system memory card. In addition, the first user may lose his or her game save because the second user may erase or write over game saves on the game system memory card.
Some game system consoles, such as the Sony xe2x80x9cPlayStationxe2x80x9d game console, have two memory card slots to allow copying of game saves from one game system memory card to another game system memory card. However, even with this mechanism, game saves cannot be shared without physical transfer of a game system memory card. For example, a first user may have two game system memory cards. In order to transfer game saves to a second user, the first user may copy game saves from one game system memory card to the other using the game system console and lend the game system memory card with the copy to the second user. In another scenario, two users may each have a single game system memory card. In order to transfer game saves, the second user may lend his or her game system memory card to the first user, the first user may copy game saves from his or her game system memory card to the second user""s game system memory card. The first user may then return the second user""s game system memory card. In either scenario, physical transfer of a game system memory card is required to share game saves. Because of the limited storage capacity of game system memory cards and the inability to communicate game saves to other users without physically transferring game system memory cards, there exists a need for an alternate mechanism for transferring and storing game saves.
It is an object of the invention to provide a system for transferring game saves from a game system memory card to a personal computer and from a personal computer to a game system memory card.
As used herein, the term xe2x80x9cgame system memory cardxe2x80x9d refers to a single-connector device that connects to a memory card socket in a game system console. Exemplary memory cards of this type include the xe2x80x9cCONTROLLER PAKxe2x80x9d available from Nintendo Company and the xe2x80x9cMemory Cardxe2x80x9d available from InterAct Accessories, Inc.
According to one aspect of the invention, a game save transfer device includes a first interface for communicating with a game system memory card. A second interface communicates with a computer. A processing circuit is coupled to the first and second interfaces and transferring game saves from the game system memory card to the computer.
According to another aspect of the invention, a computer-readable medium includes computer-executable instructions for performing steps. The steps include reading game saves stored on a game system memory card and displaying game save information to a user. In response to a first input from the user, the game saves are transferred from the game system memory card to a computer.
According to another aspect, the present invention includes a system for transferring game saves between a game system memory card and computer. In the system, a game save transfer device transfers game save information from a game system memory card to a computer. A control unit controls the game save transfer device, in response to user input, to transfer game saves from the game system memory card to the computer.
According to another aspect, the present invention includes a system for transferring game saves from a game system memory card to a computer. In the system, a connection device connects a game system memory card to a computer. A computer readable medium includes computer executable instructions for reading game saves stored on the game system memory card and displaying game save information to a user. The computer executable instructions also include accepting a request from the user to read a game save from the memory card. The request from the user is converted into address signals. The address signals are transmitted to the game system memory card through the connection device. A game save transmitted from the game system memory card is received through the connection device. The game save is stored in memory associated with the computer.
According to another aspect, the present invention includes a graphical user interface displayable on an electronic display device for controlling transfer of game saves between a computer and a game system memory card. A first display area displays game save information corresponding to game saves stored on a game system memory card. A second display area displays game save information corresponding to game saves stored in memory associated with a computer. A copying unit copies game save information from the second display area to the first display area and transfers corresponding game saves from the game system memory card to the memory associated with the computer.
According to another aspect, a method for transferring game saves between game system memory cards and computers includes displaying game save information regarding game saves stored on a game system memory card to a user. The game saves are read from the game system memory card in response to requests from the user. The game saves are transferred to a first computer connected to the game system memory card.